This colorful bright risotto is mixed with beets and carrots. The root veggies give the risotto a nice sweetness and beautiful color.
Ingredients
3-4medium golden beets, cooked and peeled
3medium carrots, cooked and peeled
3tablespoonsbutter, divided
½large white onion, chopped
4clovesgarlic, minced
1 ½cupsArborio Rice
½cupdry white wine
2quartsvegetable stock, warmed
1cupgrated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Fresh oregano, garnish
Instructions
Cut roots off carrots and beets. There are two ways too cook these. 1) Add veggies to an oven-safe dish with 1/4 cup of water. Poke veggies a few times with a fork. Cover with foil and roast for about 60 minutes until very tender. Then let cool slightly, peel, and cube. 2) Add veggies to a microwave safe dish and add 1/4 cup water. Poke veggies a few times with a fork. Cover with paper towel to reduce splatter and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Turn veggies and microwave for another 3-5 minutes until they are very tender. Let cool, peel, and chop.
Reserve some chopped beets for a garnish. Add the rest of the peeled carrots and beets to a food processor with 1/2 cup vegetable stock and 1 tablespoon butter. Process until very smooth. If the mixture seems too thick, add more vegetable stock.
To start risotto, heat vegetable stock on low heat until warm. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a wide and high skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic and cook for a few minutes until veggies soften.
Add rice to the skillet and cook for about 90 seconds. Then add white wine to deglaze pan. Once white wine has cooked off, start ladling in 1/2-1 cup amounts of vegetable stock from the pot to the skillet. Stir the hot stock into the rice. Stir occasionally until the stock is mostly absorbed.
Repeat process for 15-20 minutes (or about 5-6 cups of veggie stock). At this point the risotto should be almost cooked through but still have a tiny bite to it. Scoop in all the veggie puree and continue to cook, stirring more veggie stock into the risotto. You might not use all 2 quarts of stock (depends on heat and skillet) but you should get close to using it all.
Once the golden puree is stirred into the risotto and the risotto is cooked through (taste it occasionally), season the risotto with salt and pepper, add parmesan cheese, and serve the risotto while warm with fresh oregano, reserved chopped beets, and extra parmesan.